Building workforce capability

As family violence workers, we should feel proud and respected, with adequate support and resourcing and a toolkit of effective strategies.

— Workshop participant

Our reforms will only be as effective as the people delivering them. Our new ways of working require an effective, well-supported, multidisciplinary workforce.

This workforce will need to reflect the diversity of the Victorian community and provide services that are inclusive, accessible and non-discriminatory.

10-Year Industry Plan

To achieve these goals, we are developing a 10 Year Industry Plan.

The plan will provide a more systematic approach to workforce planning and developing our specialist family violence sector. It will also address issues in:

increasing the diversity of the workforce

health and wellbeing

safety

wages and conditions

career pathways.

The plan will ensure staff have access to support and high-quality training. Workforces in universal services — general practitioners, maternal and child health nurses, teachers and counsellors — will also be equipped to identify and respond to family violence.

The plan will be released by December 2017.

Industry Taskforce

An Industry Taskforce will guide the plan's development and will include expert stakeholders across:

family violence and sexual assault services

prevention organisations

community services

justice and education sectors

peak bodies and unions.

A system-wide approach

This will create a system-wide approach to workforce planning and development in the specialist family violence sector. The Plan will address issues in:

increasing the diversity of the workforce

rural and regional communities

health and wellbeing of the workforce

wages and conditions

career pathways and mobility.

Centre for Workforce Excellence

The establishment of a Centre for Workforce Excellence will lead initiatives designed to boost the capabilities of specialist family violence, primary prevention and social service workforces.

The Centre will play a key role in research, identifying core skills and capabilities across workforces, promoting best practice and contributing to the development of formal workforce training.